The Ford Mustang's 50th anniversary was in 2014, but Ford this week unveiled an interesting 50-year exhibit at the US National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum. The split-personality sculpture is made from the front halves of the 1965 and 2015 Mustangs, highlighting 50 years of evolution. It's a fascinating sight for Mustang lovers and car enthusiasts in general.

Ford's double-Stang sculpture was built by Classic Design Concepts, which calls it Project "Chop Shop." It includes the front end of a left-hand-drive 1965 Mustang licensed reproduction fused together with the front of a right-hand-drive 2015 Mustang. The use of the different drive sides helps to highlight the very different styles, equipment and technologies in the interiors. Roughly 60 percent of each driver's compartment is included.

The Mustang display is one of the highlights of the museum's new Intellectual Property Power exhibit, which looks at the significance that intellectual property has played in progress, innovation and culture. Beyond Ford's contribution, the exhibit also includes a look at the evolution of the camera, courtesy of the George Eastman Museum, and a Qualcomm-sponsored exploration of the growth of mobile technology.

Within that broader context, Ford's one-of-a-kind display is more than just a general look at how interior and exterior vehicle design have evolved over the years, it's a look at how patents have helped shape the process. As Ford explains, the 1965 Mustang had no styling patents at the time of its launch, and it was only after the car exploded in popularity, selling more than 1 million models in its first 18 months, that such patents were applied for. The 1965 car did rely on some 100 existing Ford patents, involving equipment like the rear-seat speaker and power convertible top.

By contrast, the 2015 Mustang has 36 styling patents to protect the look of the car. It also has patents related to equipment like the airbag system, seats and 911 Assist.

You don't have to care that much about the patent storyline to appreciate Ford's design, though we suspect that many a Gizmag reader would find the intellectual property aspect interesting, too. Museum visitors will be able to sit in the two cockpits and directly compare equipment and features separated by 50 years, including the radio vs infotainment system and classic vs modern instrument panel. Visitors will also be able to compare the sounds of the two V8 engines at idle.

The Intellectual Property Power exhibit is part of the expanded National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum, which reopened this week during the two-day Greatest Celebration of American Innovation event. A sneak preview of the exhibit was provided on Wednesday before it opened to the public on Friday.

The museum is free to the public and open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is located in the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Madison Building in Alexandria, Virginia. You can learn more from the museum's website.